Latin America and the Caribbean will maintain the recovery that began in the second half of 2009, following the international economic crisis and are poised to grow 4.7% in 2011 with a strong boost from domestic demand, according to the latest report from the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean.

Economic activity in Brazil expanded 0.17% in May over the previous month, the slowest pace this year, according to the Central Bank’s seasonally adjusted index. As direct reference growth in April was 0.44%. However the May figure is 4.25% over a year ago.

Brasil Foods, Brazil’s biggest maker of TV dinners and frozen meat products, won conditional approval of its 3.8 billion US dollars takeover of rival Sadia SA as Brazilian regulators ordered it to stop using a top brand and sell some assets to ensure domestic competition.

Europe’s debt crisis has entered a new phase and policy makers must come up with a “clear” response to stop the contagion that threatens the region’s single currency, said the European Central Bank’s incoming President Mario Draghi.

Members of the European Parliament discussing the agriculture budget said that compensation for beef farmers that could face Mercosur competition, if a trade agreement is finally reached, “is not enough” and anticipated that “we will not accept sweeteners in this area”.

European Commission has unveiled major plans to reform the EU fishing industry and stop catches being wasted. The proposal, due to take effect from 2013, would give fleets quota shares guaranteed for at least 15 years.

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said the central bank is ready to ease monetary policy further if the economy weakens and inflation moves lower, suggesting policymakers are actively mulling further stimulus.

Brazilian retail tycoon Abilio Diniz has suspended plans to merge his supermarket chain Grupo Pao de Acucar with the local arm of France's Carrefour. The move comes after the Brazilian state development bank BNDES and a private fund backed out of supporting the deal.